Truly Agreed, 2016

173.234. 1. As used in this section, unless the context
clearly requires otherwise, the following terms mean: (1)
"Board", the coordinating board for higher education; (2)
"Books", any books required for any course for which tuition
was paid by a grant awarded under this section; (3)
"Eligible student", the natural, adopted, or stepchild of a qualifying
military member, who is less than twenty-five years of age and
who was a dependent of a qualifying military member at the time
of death or injury or within five years subsequent to the
injury, or the spouse of a qualifying military member which
was the spouse of a veteran at the time of death or injury or
within five years subsequent to the injury; (4)
"Grant", the veteran's survivors grant as established in this
section; (5) "Institution of
postsecondary education", any approved Missouri public institution
of postsecondary education, as defined in subdivision (3) of
section 173.1102; (6) "Qualifying
military member", any member of the military of the United States,
whether active duty, reserve, or National Guard, who served in
the military after September 11, 2001, during time of war and
for whom the following criteria apply: (a)
A veteran was a Missouri resident when first entering the military
service or at the time of death or injury; (b)
A veteran died or was injured as a result of combat action or
a veteran's death or injury was certified by the Department of
Veterans' Affairs medical authority to be attributable to an
illness or accident that occurred while serving in combat, or
became eighty percent disabled as a result of injuries or accidents
sustained in combat action after September 11, 2001; and (c)
"Combat veteran", a Missouri resident who is discharged for active
duty service having served since September 11, 2001, and received
a DD214 in a geographic area entitled to receive combat pay tax
exclusion exemption, hazardous duty pay, or imminent danger pay,
or hostile fire pay; (7) "Survivor",
an eligible student of a qualifying military member; (8)
"Tuition", any tuition or incidental fee, or both, charged by
an institution of postsecondary education for attendance at the
institution by a student as a resident of this state. The tuition
grant shall not exceed the amount of tuition charged a Missouri
resident at the University of Missouri-Columbia for attendance. 2.
Within the limits of the amounts appropriated therefor, the coordinating
board for higher education shall award annually up to twenty-five
grants to survivors of qualifying military members to attend
institutions of postsecondary education in this state, which
shall continue to be awarded annually to eligible recipients
as long as the recipient achieves and maintains a cumulative
grade point average of at least two and one-half on a four-point
scale, or its equivalent. If the waiting list of eligible survivors
exceeds fifty, the coordinating board may petition the general
assembly to expand the quota. If the quota is not expanded, then
the eligibility of survivors on the waiting list shall be extended. 3.
A survivor may receive a grant under this section only so long
as the survivor is enrolled in a program leading to a certificate,
or an associate or baccalaureate degree. In no event shall a
survivor receive a grant beyond the completion of the first baccalaureate
degree, regardless of age. 4.
The coordinating board for higher education shall: (1)
Promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the implementation
of this section; and (2) Provide
the forms and determine the procedures necessary for a survivor
to apply for and receive a grant under this section. 5.
Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section
536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this
section shall become effective only if it complies with and is
subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable,
section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable
and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant
to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to
disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional,
then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed
or adopted after August 28, 2008, shall be invalid and void. 6.
In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section,
a survivor shall be certified as eligible by the Missouri veterans'
commission. 7. A survivor who
is enrolled or has been accepted for enrollment as an undergraduate
postsecondary student at an approved institution of postsecondary
education, and who is selected to receive a grant under this
section, shall receive the following: (1)
An amount not to exceed the actual tuition charged at the approved
institution of postsecondary education where the survivor is
enrolled or accepted for enrollment; (2)
An allowance of up to two thousand dollars per semester for room
and board; and (3) The actual
cost of books, up to a maximum of five hundred dollars per semester. 8.
A survivor who is a recipient of a grant may transfer from one
approved public institution of postsecondary education to another
without losing his or her entitlement under this section. The
board shall make necessary adjustments in the amount of the grant.
If a grant recipient at any time withdraws from the institution
of postsecondary education so that under the rules and regulations
of that institution he or she is entitled to a refund of any
tuition, fees, room and board, books, or other charges, the institution
shall pay the portion of the refund to which he or she is entitled
attributable to the grant for that semester or similar grading
period to the board. 9. If
a survivor is granted financial assistance under any other student
aid program, public or private, the full amount of such aid shall
be reported to the board by the institution and the eligible
survivor. 10. Nothing in this
section shall be construed as a promise or guarantee that a person
will be admitted to an institution of postsecondary education
or to a particular institution of postsecondary education, will
be allowed to continue to attend an institution of postsecondary
education after having been admitted, or will be graduated from
an institution of postsecondary education. 11.
The benefits conferred by this section shall be available to
any academically eligible student of a qualifying military member.
Surviving children who are eligible shall be permitted to apply
for full benefits conferred by this section until they reach
twenty-five years of age. 12.
Pursuant to section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act: (1)
The provisions of the new program authorized under this section
shall [sunset automatically six years after August 28,
2008]be reauthorized as of the effective date of this
act and shall expire on August 28, 2020, unless reauthorized
by an act of the general assembly; and (2)
If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under
this section shall sunset automatically twelve years after the
effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and (3)
This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar
year immediately following the calendar year in which the program
authorized under this section is sunset.